As a young scientist, I became fascinated by electron microscopy. In the late
sixties, this technique was dramatically transforming our concept of cellular
structure. I concentrated upon cell division and morphogenesis in green algae
and then diatoms. As this work progressed, I became increasingly frustrated
at trying to recreate dynamic cellular events solely from static images.

A turning point in my career came when I first saw the extraordinary sight
of a live diatom undergoing mitosis at high magnification. After borrowing a
16mm. time-lapse camera, I was soon filming algae doing all the things I had
studied with the electron microscope. Since then, I have built up a laboratory
devoted to the high resolution video imaging and recording of all sorts of cells
and microscopic organisms going about their complex and extraordinary lives.
It's the best peep show around!